Sewer vent cover retainer



Oct. 3, 1950 D; WEAV ER 2,524,24

SEWER VENT COVER RETAINER Fiied my a, 1946 fluvuraz DANIEL A. WEAVER By W . LQTT'ORA/EY FIG.3.

F'ateniecl (ict. 3, iEiCl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,524,242 SEWER VENT COVER RETAINER Daniel A. Weaver, St. Louis, Mo Application July 3, 1946, Serial No. 681,405 2 claims. (01. 122 -31) This invention is directed to removable retaining devices for cover or cap means generally and is more particularly concerned with a sewer vent cover retainer.

The retainer device hereof may have a wide usage but for the purpose of present discussion it will be referred to in connection with vent pipes associated with underground service lines such as drains, sewers. and the like for homes and commercial buildings.

The prevailing practice in the installation of service drains and sewer systems includes the provision of at least one suitable vent pipe leading, usually vertically, from the underground system to or adjacent the ground line and opening to the atmosphere. The general purposes for such a vent are to prevent the build-up of system pressure to the point of rupture in the event of reverse flow conditions, and to prevent over-flow conditions at the intake end of the system. Thus the intended function of the vent will be obtained so long as it remains open and free of any great amount of flow impeding materials. A precautionary measure is usually followed by equipping the upper, open head end of the vent pipe with a perforated cap or coverplate loosely placed thereon to prevent the passage of flow-impeding materials into the vent and hence to the underground system.

Despite the provision of the cover or the somewhat infrequent attempts to locate the vent inconspiciously, the mere presence of the vent pipe opening through the ground commands the attention of individuals not authorized to remove the cover, such as small children who cannot be expected to understand the purpose for the vent pipe, and those who regard the easily openable vent as a subject of amusement irrespective of the mischief to be caused thereby. It is only natural that such an easily accessible opening receive the attention of playful children, as it appears to them, at least, to be an excellent object and source of fun, the usual amusement consisting in depositing sticks, stones, toys, wads of cloth or paper, and any other form or ma-.

terial or debris conveniently at hand which 'Will fall or be forced thereinto. As a result of such mischievous conduct, the underground service system will be blocked entirely or will contain flow impeding material such as will cause eventual stoppage of flow. When this happens, the service system must be uncovered and portions broken into until the blockading material is found and removed. This latter operation is expensive, unsightly and requires immediate at- 2 tention in order that the system may be restored to its full usefulness.

While the vent pipe is a practical necessity, it has constituted a continued source of potential trouble and has been a problem heretofore only partly solved in those instances where the cover plate was permanently secured or cemented in place to offer the maximum impediment of access to those unauthorized individuals and to small children and other individuals seeking a source of amusement. However, the permanently secured cover plate is not the best or most desirable solution to the problem as it often is necessary that the cover plate be removed for inspection or servicing of the system by properly authorized persons.

Accordingly. it is the principal object of the present invention to overcome the above objections by the arrangement of a removable type retainer device for vent pipe cover plates, the device being constructed in a manner offering a substantial obstacle to those individuals who are unauthorized to deal with the service system vent pipes.

In carrying out the above object, the retainer device has as one of its aims the secure retention of the vent pipe cover against unauthorized removal by the provision of means adapted to clasp and resiliently, frictionally engage the head end surfaces of the vent pipe and other means directed to span or extend across the opening therein above the cover plate in such manner as efiectively to prevent removal of the cover except upon proper disengaging manipulation of the device.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the retainer device forming the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device when properly positioned on the vent pipe to hold the cap in place; and

Figure 3 is a sectional .elevational view taken along line 33 of Figure 2.

In the preferred arrangement disclosed, the retainer device it comprises a main member ll formed of a heavy gauge, strip metal and including a flat central span, integrally provided at its opposite ends with clasp-like finger elements l2, and atransversely arranged spanner member l3 formed of a similar flat strip of metal which is permanently secured, as by rivets M, at its central zone to the central zone of the first spanner H to provide a symmetrical assembly, The respective metal members may be selected from any one of a number of metals having suitable resilient or spring characteristics, an example being phosphorbronze. It is also possible to form the spanner i i of one metal and the spanner i 3 of a different metal, if such is desired.

Each of the finger elements 52 is formed with an upstanding leg iii, a smoothly curved loop I1, and a spaced, depending leg I8 which terminates in an inturned end portion 19. The nature of each such finger element l2 and its relation with the joining member A I is such' that two zones of flexure result; one such zone being at the elbow 26 between leg 16 and the member I I, and the other zone being in the loop 11. As a result, th resilient deformation of the: fingers, presently to appear, will occur at either zone. of, fiexure and probably at both substantially concurrently, thus affording a desirable increase in the force required to induce deformation and also tending to increase the useful life of the device by dividing the effects of deformation between two zones of flexure.

The mounting of the retainer device l on the head; end of the vent pipe is shown in Figures 2 and'3, wherein a common form of pipe P is partly illustrated. It will be noted that the upper end 2!. of the vent pipe P projects above the ground level and has an enlarged and upwardly directed flange 23 formed to provide a tapering outer surface 2d and an internal flat seat 25. A perforated cover plate 26 of usual form is adapted to rest upon the seat 25 and close the, pipe opening against ingress of the larger and objectionable material due to the smallness of the perforations 21 provided therein.

With the cover 26 resting on seat, 25, it will be noted that the retainer device 1- and, particularly the crossed members H- and [3. project into and below the upper margin of the flang 23 to lie in spaced parallel relation over the cover. The members I! and 13 are of such length as to extend substantially the full'diameter of thepipe flange 23 for maximum effectiveness in, retaining the cover 26 in position. Concurrently eachof the resilient finger elements I2 upon a slight outward spreading of the legsv l8 and inturned end portions is, as by a cammingaction-against theflange 23, will clasp the diametrically opposite surfaces of the pipe headflange 23-in tight frictional engagement for retaining the same in proper position. The inturnedends: l3;will;further increase the ability of the device to resist removal by engaging with the taperedsurface 24. Moreover, lateral displacement of the; present device is prevented by reason of the position of spanner member H in close adjacence with the inner flange surfaces (Figure 2).

Removal of the present devicecmay'be accomplished b the use of a suitable tool, such as a screw driver or the like, placed under the finger loops ii and on top of the flang 23 to be manipulated to pry the device upwardly. With the selection of a desirably heavy gauge for the member H, as well as for member l3, it will be possible to develop a holding force in fingers i2 sufiiciently great to discourage and successfully prevent the unauthorized removal of the retainer device, as it will now be understood that the length of the spanners H and I3 cooperate to prevent the tilting of the cover 26 at an angle for clearance with the flange 23.

In view of the above, it should now be apparent that the retainer device I E] cannot readily be removed by unauthorized persons, but that those having authority may quite easily effect its re-- moval with the aid of a lever or prying instru ment. Replacement of the device is readily accomplished by a slight spreading of the legs l8 followed by downward pressure on the finger elements I2. Once the device has been started into position, it may be pressed home by foot pressure on each finger element 12.

It will, of course, be understood that changes and modifications in the. form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the sewer vent cover retainer may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1..For use with a sewer vent pipe having an enlarged upwardly presented annular flange and a cover plate loosely seated therein, a cover plate retaining device comprising a first flat member, anda second flat member secured to the first fiat member in crossed relation to project therefrom ateach side and'having a length slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the annular flange and being positioned at its ends in close proximity to both the annular flange and the upper face of the cover plate, said first member being provided at-itsopposite ends-with C-shaped attachmentclipseach-comprising inner and outer legs connected at their upper ends by an arouate big-ht; the inner leg-being subtantially shorter than the outer leg and being connected at its lower end to the first member, the outer leg being substantially-longer'thanthe inner leg and being provided'at'its lower end with an inturned portionfor underlying the lower margin of the annular flange,cthe first memberhaving a length between the points of juncture with said inner legs. somewhat shorter than the-inside diametral size of the annular flange whereby the attachment clips will be;flexed' slightly when the retainer device is in operative position so that the inner legs will be inclined'slightly outwardly, and the outer legs will be drawn tightly into flatwise abutment against the" outer face of. the annular flange.

2. The combination with an underground service system having a vent pipe rising to the ground level and provided at its upper end with an enlargedannular flange having an external tapered surface, and an internalseat for a perforated cover plate, of a.v retained device for preventing the unauthorized removal of the cover plate from its seat inttheiventpipe, said device comprising at first: spanner member, finger, elements positioned one at each end; of said member, elements beingformed with an upstanding leg connected to' said firstspanner member at an elbow defining a flexural' zone therebetween, a second and depending leg spaced from the upstanding leg and connectedtherewith by a loop defining aflexural zonetherebetween, and. an inturned end portion on said second leg for engagement with the external tapered surface of the flanged head pipe, each of said depending legs being. resiliently engageable, about the flanged head pipe, and movable out of engagement therewith upon flexure, in either. or bothof the defined zonesof flexure such thatsaid inturned end portion is clear of the tapered surface on the flanged head pipe; and asecond spanner member carried'by. thefirst spanner member and having: a length .slightlysmaller thantheinside di- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,197,803 Dierks Sept. 12, 1916 1,205,454 Keiner et a1. Nov. 21, 1916 Number Number Name Date Henthorn June 11, 1918 Montgomery Dec. 7, 1920 Manneschmidt Mar. '6, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 1'7, 1918 France May 4, 1936 

